Lin Gao Qiming

Chapter 205 Pandora's Box

Li Siya didn't think about the use of Gou Er's chess piece for a while.But idlers have their uses.She doesn't need much capital on Gou Er, and she won't feel bad if she loses it.

The following matters depend on "Li Huamei".She is convinced that Australians will be tricked by her sister.

The result of the exchange between Meng De and others and Li Huamei was that Li Huamei agreed to go to Lingao to see if there is any possible cooperation between the two parties. The time travelers think this result is acceptable. As for the future recruitment of her, the time travelers think It's not a problem if one's own power is strong.As for some perverts, there are other thoughts in their hearts.

Wen Desi also ended his talks with Jalanzani. Wen Desi knew the Jesuit's desire for a breakthrough in missionary work in China, so he whetted the appetite of the Jesuit president for a while.The two parties reached a preliminary agreement: the crossing people agreed that the Jesuits would send a priest to accompany them back to Lingao; during the Lingao period, the priest could move freely in the area controlled by the traversers, but he was not allowed to preach; the Jesuits in Macau could Sail into the Bopu Port controlled by the Transit Congregation at any time to deliver letters and supply the priest's personal items; if necessary, the Jesuits can recall the priest at any time, and the Transit Congregation must not stop them.

Compared with these conditions, the benefits obtained by the traversing people are much greater: the Jesuits agree to be the protectors of the rights and interests of the traversing people in Macau; Adequate facilities - including permission to open a business in Macau.The extra gain is that after the chairman tasted the rhubarb liqueur that Wen Desi enthusiastically dedicated to him, he not only praised the taste, but also couldn't put it down.

At present, the chairman has bought all the rhubarb liqueur in stock, and the price negotiated by the two parties is a quarter of a silver peso per bottle, which greatly exceeds Zhang Xin's previous estimate-the double combination of rhubarb and porcelain bottles Zhang Xin was surprised by the power that came out—he didn't believe it when Fa Shilu told him that Europeans were obsessed with rhubarb.

Zhang Xin and Wen Desi had some activities near the pier in Macau. There is no large-scale shipyard in Macau, only the ability to repair ships, and there are not many European shipbuilders.Wen Desi was rather disappointed: he had hoped to recruit some shipwrights who understood European shipbuilding techniques from here—but now that there is a Jesuit line, it should not be a problem to hire some craftsmen from Europe.

The delegation also purchased many urgently needed metal materials in Macao: copper ingots, pig iron and lead.Zhang Xin also bought a large amount of jute, which the businessman said was the best Indian product.

"What's the use of this?" Wang Ruixiang walked up and down with them, and was surprised to see that he had spent money to buy a lot of grass-like things.

"For rope."

"rope?"

"Yes, it is used for ship cables." Zhang Xin said that jute is the best material for making ship cables. It is light and strong. It is an important shipbuilding material and was the most important economic crop in the past.

The Indian merchant who sold them jute seemed to be very satisfied with the deal, and took out a set of gorgeous silver hookahs from the back room, lit them and asked Zhang Xin to taste them.Zhang Xin took a sniff, and asked Mendoza, who was in charge of the translation, to talk to the businessman again, and the businessman moved out a box from behind.When I opened it, it was full of dark brown pancakes, which looked smooth and soft.Exudes a very special smell.Zhang Xin's eyes lit up. He sniffed it, pressed it with his fingers, licked the tip of his tongue, and immediately spit out the saliva.

"Ask how much he wants?" He said to Mendoza through Zhou Weisen.Seeing Miss Mendoza shaking her head vigorously and talking to Zhou Weisen in a rambling manner, Zhang Xin waited impatiently:

"Quickly ask, what are you muttering?"

Zhou Weisen said to Mendoza several times, and finally a deal was reached: one silver peso per box.

"Ask him: Is there a bulk sale locally?"

Zhou Weisen hesitated for a moment, then asked Zhang Xin, "I said, Lao Zhang, do you know what this is?"

"Nonsense, I don't know why I bought it?"

"Don't you want to learn from the British, engage in the opium trade, and poison the Chinese nation—"

"Dr. Zhou, don't you know that opium is an important pharmaceutical raw material?"

"Of course I know that." Zhou Weisen said, "The problem is that you are a commercial agent in Guangzhou. Whenever you buy opium, I think of things like selling cigarettes in Humen."

"Hey, I can't do such a childless thing." Zhang Xin said, "Ye Yuming is going to pick up the Laoshizi missionary, and I will take care of the agricultural department."

"Damn, do you want to grow opium on the farm? I have to advise you on this: Once Pandora's box is opened, there will be endless troubles. If you want to make medicine, buying Indian opium is enough."

"Depending on imports is always a dangerous thing, especially at this stage." Zhang Xin got an answer from the Indians, saying that the demand for opium is not large, and the goods from India to Macau are only two to three hundred boxes every year, except for some In addition to the local people's own use, they are all sold to Guangzhou as medicine.If the traverser's demand is not large, he can traffic some separately.

In this era, opium has not become a sought-after profiteering commodity like later generations. Whether it is used as a recreational product or a drug, the demand is very small.

After the cargo hold of Tongji was fully filled, the ship set sail for the return journey.In addition to the cargo, there was a black-haired, brown-eyed foreigner on board——Chinese name Lu Ruohua, a native of southern France, in his early thirties, who had just arrived in Macau from France.The reason why he was chosen was that none of the traversers knew Italian, but quite a few knew French, which was convenient for communication.

Lu Ruohua, like all the Jesuit missionaries who came to East Asia, would learn a special skill before starting his mission: astronomy, medicine, engineering technology or art, just like his contemporaries and descendants.The brilliance of the Jesuits in the field of missionary work is that they realized very early on that for those countries in the East that have had hundreds or even thousands of years of civilization, it is far from enough to impress them with just a Bible.

Lu Ruohua chose to study medicine. When he read the biography of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus, he knew that people are most likely to be inspired by God when they are sick.

After boarding the boat, he hadn't been quiet for an hour. Immediately, he looked around for someone to learn Mandarin, and all the people had nothing to do, so they also used this foreigner for entertainment.He could hear his stiff-tongued voices of "Ni Hao", "Eat all the money", "Begging for Bu, I will die for you", which made Wen Desi very upset.

Miss Mendoza seemed to have found the ray of light in her life. She left Zhou Weisen aside and greeted "Master Father" with food and water.The trouble made Zhou Weisen unhappy.But he has lived abroad for a long time, and he knows that most Catholics have strong religious sentiments. It is inevitable for Miss Mendoza to be extremely excited when a priest suddenly comes in the desert of faith.

"Mr. Wen, I think this Catholicism must be introduced to Hainan this time." Wang Ruixiang took a chance and whispered to Wen Desi, "There is no two masters in the country. Once these foreign religions are introduced, they will become popular in the hearts of the people. It will form another core of power. Isn’t a word from the leader more powerful than the government? Don’t forget the many lessons in another time and space, monotheism is enough.”

Wen Desi remained calm: "What do you want?"

"Above this vast sea—" Wang Ruixiang made a downward slashing gesture.

"This can't solve the problem." Wen Desi shook his head, "You underestimate the power of faith too much. If he dares to come with us, he is ready to die. If one Lu Ruohua dies, ten Lu Ruohuas will come. At that time , they will not come by our boat, but secretly.”

Wang Ruixiang seemed to understand what he meant and nodded, but he still couldn't help adding: "Religion is too lethal."

Wen Desi looked at the undulating sea, and sighed after a long time: "I hope that in our lifetime, we have the ability to change the trend of this world."

At this time, Mond came to report: the ship has arrived near Hong Kong.

"Shut Lu Ruohua into the cargo hold first, and don't allow him to go on the deck." Wen Desi gave the order.This order immediately aroused strong dissatisfaction from Miss Mendoza who was by her side—relying on her own service to the crossing people, she came to protest the rough treatment of the clergy.

But Wen Desi did nothing about it, and directly asked Zhou Weisen to drag his woman back.The place where he will go next is something that foreigners must not know at the moment.

Under the guidance of Mond and the 21st century chart, they came to another small island of the Wanshan Islands off the Pearl River Estuary on the way home. Looking from the boat, the island was lush and green, scattered with fishing villages of all sizes.Comparing the latitude and longitude of the sea chart and measuring, it can be confirmed that this is the Hong Kong Island of later generations.The coast of Victoria Bay is full of desolation, not to mention the market, even the sight of people is rare.

The small boats were put down from the boat, and they landed in the name of replenishing fresh water. Their purpose was to conduct a basic survey of Hong Kong Island, including surveys of topography, landforms and fresh water resources, and to measure the water depth of the bays along the Victoria Bay. See where it is suitable to establish a future commodity transshipment base.

Hong Kong Island covers an area of ​​nearly 81 square kilometers. It has a large area, fresh water and forests. Victoria Bay is known as one of the three deep-water ports in the world.As a base, regardless of military or commercial use, it has great value, and it has much more development potential than the small Macau.When the Portuguese came to China’s coast for the first time, they decided that this place was a treasure land of geomantic omen, but they were too eager for quick success, so they went to occupy Tuen Mun in the New Territories, trying to directly control the entrance and exit of the Pearl River Estuary, but were driven out by the Ming army.Wen Desi is very clear: there is a camp of the Ming army in Tuen Mun not far from here.The time travelers want to occupy Hong Kong under the eyes of the government, and it is absolutely impossible not to fight.

(End of this chapter)